FACTS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT DNA

DNA IS FOUND IN ALL LIVING THINGS AND STANDS

FOR DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID

WE HAVE ALL HEARD ABOUT PATERNITY TESTS WHICH

CONFIRM THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A CHILD

AND HIS OR HER POTENTIAL FATHER, OR HOW A

CRIMINAL CAN BE IDENTIFIED VIA A DNA TEST

(IF INVESTIGATORS FOUND BLOOD, SPERM, OR HAIR

AT THE CRIME SCENE), BUT DNA TESTING IS ALSO

USED TO AUTHENTICATE FOOD SUCH AS CAVIAR

AND FINE WINE

DNA IS USED IN WILDLIFE FORENSICS TO IDENTIFY

ENDANGERED SPECIES AND THE PEOPLE WHO

HUNT THEM (POACHERS)

IN FORENSICS, DNA ANALYSIS USUALLY LOOKS AT

THIRTEEN SPECIFIC DNA MARKERS (SEGMENTS OF DNA).

THE ODDS THAT TWO INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THE

SAME THIRTEEN-LOCI DNA PROFILE IS ABOUT

ONE IN A BILLION

DNA CAN BE EXTRACTED FROM MANY DIFFERENT

TYPES OF SAMPLES: BLOOD, CHEEK CELLS

AND EVEN URINE

DNA TESTS CAN HELP YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR RISK

OF DISEASE. FOR EXAMPLE, A DNA MUTATION OR

VARIATION MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH A HIGHER

RISK OF A NUMBER OF DISEASES, INCLUDING

BREAST CANCER

DNA IS AFFECTED BY THE ENVIRONMENT;

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS CAN TURN GENES

ON AND OFF. THIS PRETTY MUCH EXPLAINS WHY,

FOR EXAMPLE, SOME PEOPLE ARE DARKER OR

HAIRIER THAN OTHERS

CHANGES IN A DNA SEQUENCE ARE CALLED

MUTATIONS. YES, WOLVERINE AND YOUR

FELLOW MUTANTS, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT YOU!

HOWEVER, MUTATIONS CAN BE CHANGES IN JUST

ONE DNA BASE OR THEY CAN INVOLVE MORE THAN ONE.

MUTATIONS CAN ALSO INVOLVE ENTIRE SEGMENTS

OF CHROMOSOMES